Untitled, 2018

Marisa Merz was a multimedia painter and sculptor, as well as the only female artist to be associated with the artistic movement Arte Povera. Since Merz was born in Italy, she was located at the very heart of the movement. Arte Povera promoted a return to simplicity above all else and emphasized the idea that there was significant meaning in the everyday. Though Merz's sculptures express these themes, her work is just as much an exploration of her own existence. Merz is known for her use of the humble, nontraditional art materials she incorporates into her paintings and multimedia installations. Some of the things she has used in her work include wire, clay, copper, and many different types of fabric. Marisa Merz takes the themes of the everyday a step further by making use of techniques that would not typically be considered fine art - examples include weaving and knitting. Combining these materials and techniques gives Marisa Merz's work an interesting and particularly relevant edge.